


Suspicious Minds

by Sandrine Shaw (Sandrine)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Background Femslash, Enemies to Lovers, Feelings Realization, Getting Together, Humor, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-03-09 17:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18921523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandrine/pseuds/Sandrine%20Shaw
Summary: Six days ago, infamous supervillain Wire-Puller saved the lives of a dozen people, including his superhero nemesis Bulletproof, and was rewarded with a full pardon for the heroic deed.It's clearly part of an evil plan. To what end, Bulletproof isn't sure yet, but he's determined to get to the bottom of it.





	Suspicious Minds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Impala_Chick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Chick/gifts).



 

It's well past midnight when Theo makes it home.

He throws the mail onto the floor and shrugs off his jacket, letting it drop right on top of the pile of unpaid bills and take-out leaflets. Joanne is going to complain about the mess tomorrow morning, but after the day Theo's had, he just doesn't have the energy tonight. 

Being a superhero is a tough gig, and it's even worse after spending nine hours in an office arguing with Kyle from IT. Universally speaking, Theo likes people – of course he does, otherwise he wouldn't be risking life and limb every night keeping them safe – but some particular people really try his idealism. 

Grabbing a beer from the fridge, he switches on the TV and unenthusiastically flips through the channels. The sight of a familiar face makes him stop.

_"— ceremony, Desmond Bennett, previously known as supervillain Wire-Puller, was honored by Mayor Johnson for his heroic efforts during the attack on the town hall last week. Bennett had used his powers to disarm Rampage and his followers and saved the lives of the mayor as well as a dozen innocent bystanders and local superhero Bulletproof. He was subsequently pardoned of all his previous crimes and convictions —_

On screen, Bennett, for once having foregone his dark armor in favor of a fitted black suit and a blue tie that's almost the same color as his eyes, shakes the mayor's hand with a bland, patronizing smile. The mayor leans in to say something, too quiet for the microphones to catch, and Bennett laughs in response, like they're old friends sharing a joke. The newscaster is still talking about how all the charges against Bennett were dropped – never mind the fact that up until a week ago, Wire-Puller was considered the biggest threat that Capital City had ever faced. 

It's un-fucking-believable.

Theo decides that he's heard enough. He pushes the standby button on the remote with a little more force than necessary. The plastic cracks under his anger, but the screen goes blissfully dark. 

Theo swallows down his annoyance with the remains of his beer and goes to bed. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Maybe Jo won't lecture him about his untidiness, maybe Kyle won't be an asshole, maybe no one will try and knock over a cash machine. And maybe, just maybe, the citizens of Capital City will wake up and realize that they can't start trusting a supervillain just because he accidentally did a good thing one time.

#

"I know you're a slob, Theo, but if you have to drop your shit where you stand, at least do it in your own room," is the first thing his neat-freak of a roommate tells him when he sleepily stumbles into the kitchen at five past six the next morning.

He isn't awake enough to argue with her, so he just mumbles an apology and side-steps her to make a beeline for the coffee machine. He must look as bad as he feels, because Joanne's expression turns sympathetic when she glances up at him.

"Bad night? Did you get hurt?" 

Her eyes are sharp when they scout him, like she's looking for injuries. He quickly shakes his head.

Ever since his mishap at the town hall, she constantly seems to be worried about him. It has its upsides, because she's inclined to be more forgiving about the disorganized mess he always leaves behind. On the other hand, her fussing is ridiculous because there are very few things in the world that can actually hurt him. Just because Rampage caught a lucky break once, it doesn't turn Theo into some kind of damsel in distress. His cape name is _Bulletproof_ for a reason.

Theo inhales his first cup of coffee so fast that he burns his tongue, the flare of pain thankfully gone almost instantly. "I'm fine. Just a long fucking night. Even superheroes get tired, you know?"

Joanne snorts. "Well, don't expect to sleep in tomorrow. You got an invite to the breakfast show on Channel 3. You know, the one with the cute host."

Tomorrow is Saturday. Emergency situations notwithstanding, Theo had emphatically not planned to leave the apartment for the weekend. 

"Was that in the mail?" he asks, mind reeling as he's trying to remember the letters he bundled up and dropped the other night.

"Nope. You had an alert on your phone. I confirmed for you."

"You— What? Why would you—" No, that's a silly question. The cute host, of course. Joanne's had a massive crush for ages. He shakes his head and focuses on the other big issue. "Dammit, Jo! Why are you snooping on my phone anyway? That's a serious breach of privacy."

He's joking. Mostly. They've known each other for long enough that concepts like privacy and boundaries kinda went out of window the day Joanne accidentally hooked up with a tentacle creature that tried to eat her – literally, not in the sexy kinda way – and Theo saw more of his roommate, and more than he ever wanted to know about female anatomy, when he rushed into her bedroom to save her.

So he isn't exactly surprised when Joanne reacts to his outrage by rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't be 'snooping on your phone' if I hadn't found it in the fridge this morning, Theo."

"You mean _on_ the fridge, right?"

Joanne laughs like he made a joke and takes a bite out of her toast. She doesn't even grace the question with an answer. "Just be home early tonight. You can't go on the show looking like a zombie. And wear something nice. That guy who saved your ass will be there too, and he always looks like a freaking male model. It's no wonder everyone loves him."

The coffee mug shatters in Theo's grip. " _What?_ "

"You know, that reformed villain." Joanne pointedly looks at the shards on the floor. "You're cleaning that up before you go, right?"

"He isn't reformed." 

Theo wishes he could argue against the rest of what she said, but it's not like she's wrong. Bennett does look too damn good for the unscrupulous asshole he is, and it's probably at least part of the reason why people fawn over him like they do. The other part is that everyone loves a good redemption story. The only problem is that Theo is absolutely sure that this isn't the redemption story everyone is hoping for, and that Bennett will be out manipulating people to do his bidding soon enough. He's clearly playing the long game. To what purpose, Theo isn't sure, but he's determined to get to the bottom of it and uncover Wire-Puller's ploy.

#

5:47 AM on a Saturday, and Theo is sitting in the Channel 3 studio in his superhero suit ( _'Wear something nice.'_ Very funny, Jo. Unlike a certain scheming villain, Bulletproof's identity is a well-kept secret; he can't just thrown on a designer suit and uncover his face – even if he owned a designer suit to begin with. Which he doesn't, but that's neither here nor there) when Desmond Bennett steps in, chatting amicably with their host Felicia and looking like he just stepped out of a Tom Ford commercial.

The moment he spots Theo, he seems to lose interest in making small talk with Felicia. His smile is almost genuine when he steps towards Theo. 

"Good to see you on your feet again, Bulletproof."

He holds out his hand in greeting. Theo wishes he could reject it without coming across as a petty asshole, but he can feel the eyes of every person in the studio on them – from Felicia to the make-up artist giving her a last minute glow-up – so he grinds his teeth and grudgingly shakes Bennett's hand. If he squeezes a little too hard, well, it's hard to hold super-strength in check, isn't it?

"You know me. Nothing knocks me down for long. And whoever tries better be gone when I get back up." He hopes it comes across as the threat it is.

Bennett tightens his grip and his eyes crinkle in amusement. He grins like he knows exactly what Theo's thinking. Truth is, he probably does. They've been clashing for years now; Wire-Puller's villainy had been one of the things that pushed Theo into taking up his cape. It's a familiar old dance, though Theo preferred it when Bennett wasn't pretending to be a good guy. 

Someone claps their hands behind them, the sound cutting through the tense silence like a whiplash. 

There's excitement in Felicia's voice when she exclaims, "I'm so thrilled to have you both on my show! And getting along so well! Now come on, boys, I know you probably have a lot to talk about, but we're live in three!" 

It's only then that Theo realizes he's been holding on to Bennett's hand the whole time. 

He quickly lets go, pointedly not looking at Bennett as the other man steps around him to his chair. 

The spotlights go on, bright enough to hurt Theo's eyes, and he squints towards the audience to glare at Joanne because all of this is her fault. He could still be in his nice, cozy bed instead of sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair and making pretty with his nemesis on live national television. Part of him hopes that Bennett will give himself away under the scrutiny, unable to resist boasting about whatever evil scheme he's hatching, but of course he's too damn slick for that. 

To be fair, Theo isn't convinced that Felicia and the audience would stop making heart-eyes at Bennett even if he did announce a plan for world-domination right now. 

"So, how do your powers work?" Felicia asks, thirty minutes into the program. "You just think an order at people, and they do it?"

Bennett smiles. "Technically, I could, but it would be too jarring. It's usually a bit more subtle than that. In my experience, it's more successful to make the person I'm influencing believe that they really want to do what I'm asking them. You could say I just... plant an idea. The actual action comes from the person themselves."

It's weird having it laid out like that, hearing a man who got countless people hurt with those terrifying mind-control powers of his casually talk about them on a breakfast show. 

And then, like the idea of undermining free will is some kind of amusing party trick, Felicia says, "Oooh, intriguing! Would you mind showing us? I'm sure our audience would love to see a demonstration."

On cue, the audience starts clapping, and Theo has to bite his lip and clench his fists so he won't jump up and ask them what the fuck they think they're doing.

Across the counter, Bennett's laughter is warm and throaty. He conspiratorially bends his head to Felicia. "I would, but I don't think our caped friend over there would approve."

It's a good thing that laser vision isn't among Theo's powers, because otherwise Bennett would be blasted off his chair by the sheer force of the glare Theo levels his way. He barely notices Felicia turning towards him with a smile. 

"I'm sure Bulletproof won't mind. Will you, dear? We're all friends here, aren't we?"

Neither of them waits for Theo's reaction.

"Well, if you insist," Bennett says, and focuses on Felicia with intent.

Dread pools in Theo's gut. This is it, he thinks. This is the moment we find out what Bennett's been planning all along. 

Felicia gets up, grabbing a rose from the flower arrangement on the counter, and steers towards the people who are waiting with bated breath for what's going to happen. The camera guy follows her every motion as she walks towards the first row, right to where Joanne is sitting. Theo gets ready to dive in and interfere if Felicia pulls a weapon. 

Instead, she offers the rose to Joanne, leaning down and whispering something in her ear. Joanne's giggle sounds through the expectant quiet, almost unnaturally loud. Then she nods, blushing as Felicia takes her hand and places a kiss on the back like they're in some kind of old-fashioned romance movie.

Theo twists around to Bennett, who's already turned towards him. There's a small, satisfied smile on his lips and a twinkle in the blue of his eyes. 

Theo is going to murder him. He's going to murder Desmond fucking Bennett on live television and then he'll be arrested for taking the life of Capital City's new favorite hero. He can see it: this will be Bulletproof's villain origin story.

Beside him, Felicia has sat down again, confusion on her face as her eyes flit from Joanne to Bennett. "I just— Did you—?" A delighted expression replaces the bemusement and she coos at Bennett. "Oh my God, you're such a bad boy! I can't believe you made me ask that lovely young lady out in front of all those people."

Bennett smiles at her and shrugs. "I could have done much worse, don't you agree?"

Theo understands the truth behind the statement, the terrifying implications, but he's certain that all Felicia hears is 'I could have picked out a less attractive person for you to ask on a date'.

And sure enough, Felicia is laughing. "Oh, I'm not complaining," she says.

The camera isn't on Theo. If it were, a few millions of viewers would be able to watch him lean his forehead into his palm and shake his head in exasperation.

#

As soon as the cameras are out and they're alone, Theo drags Bennett down an empty corridor and pushes him against the wall, the rush of anger making a headache drum behind his temples. His mask feels too tight and constrictive, elevating the dull pounding inside his skull, so he rips it off. What's the point? Bennett clearly knows who's under it anyway.

"What _the fuck_ was that?" he hisses, low and furious. "Do you think you can threaten my friend and I'll just let you? I'm warning you, man, if you hurt her, I don't give a fuck that you got the whole city fooled, I'll _end_ you."

Bennett clearly knows that it would be futile to struggle against Theo's hold, keeping perfectly still under Theo's hands. He doesn't seem particularly intimidated, however, confusion that's got to be fake written over his features. 

"What are you talking about? I wasn't threatening your friend."

Theo really wishes Bennett would abandon the wide-eyed innocent act, at least when it's just the two of them with no adoring audience to play for a fool. "Yeah, right. Like you weren't doing this whole spiel to rub in that you know who I am. And the _'I could have done so much worse'_? I recognize a threat when I fucking see one."

Bennett just keeps looking at him. He's too close for comfort, and Theo can see the specks of green in the blue of his eyes. He tries to hold on to the anger, but the adrenaline rush is already ebbing away, and the silence between them stretches for so long that it becomes awkward. 

Theo is about to step back and take his leave when Bennett speaks. 

"I don't think your friend Joanne felt threatened. Nor did Felicia," he points out calmly. His tone is low and silky, and it feels like an intimidating promise when he says, "And honestly, Theo, if I wanted to threaten you, I'd do it by, well, threatening you, not by setting your roommate up on a date."

Theo feels flustered and overwhelmed, which makes no sense because he could easily take Bennett in a one-on-one fight without even breaking into a sweat. 

He swallows and steps away, putting some distance between them. 

"I'm watching you," he warns the other man, but it comes out hollow and perfunctory.

Bennett straightens his tie and rolls his shoulders, smoothing down his suit. His lips twitch into a smile. "I'm counting on it."

He brushes past Theo when he's leaving, silk rustling against the reinforced leather of Theo's suit and a whiff of Bennett's aftershave clouding his senses.

#

Monday afternoon, Theo's on his lunch break when he passes the bank on Main Street and sees Bennett leaving by the front door with two metal suitcases in his hands.

The satisfying feeling of having been right about Wire-Puller's fake redemption stunt almost trumps the annoyance over having to duck into a grubby back alley and undress to put on the Bulletproof suit that he's carrying in his backpack, hoping that no one is actually watching or taking pictures that will be all over Twitter in a few minutes. He can already see the headline on the gossip rags tomorrow: _Capital City's hero uncovered_ in large red letters over a blurry picture of his naked bum. It looks so damn easy in the comics, Clark Kent ripping his shirt to uncover the costume. But when Theo was young and naive enough to try that, he quickly realized how very impractical wearing sturdy leather underneath office attire really was.

Placing his Starbucks cup on the lid of the cleanest trashcan he can see, he stuffs his regular clothing into the backpack before dashing around the corner. 

He's lucky to catch Wire-Puller just in time before the other man gets to his car and disappears with the stolen money. 

"Don't even think about it," he warns. It's a thoroughly satisfying feeling to slap a handcuff on while Bennett gives him a surprised look from behind his sunglasses. Bennett isn't even wearing his costume; he probably figures he doesn't need the armor now that people think he's all _reformed_.

"What —"

"Didn't think I'd catch you, did you?" Theo throws him a grim smile. Then he fastens the other cuff on the handle of Bennett's car door before he can make a move to get away. 

Theo takes the suitcases from Bennett's hands. "I'll be taking this back inside. Then I'll take you to the station. Don't you dare move!"

Bennett's face is impassive. He shrugs, as much as the cuffs allow him. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," he says smoothly, too casual, and Theo realizes he probably has another ace up his sleeve, or at least he believes he does. 

He glares at Bennett before turning to the bank, steeling himself for guards that are mind-controlled to attack when he enters. Instead, it appears to be business as usual inside. 

Theo approaches a teller who isn't busy with customers, placing the suitcases on the desk in front of her. "This is the money Wire-Puller has stolen."

She blinks. "Sir, I think there must be a misunderstanding."

Grinding his teeth, Theo silently reminds himself that it's not her fault. The effects of Bennett's powers sometimes take a while to wear off. "No, there's not. Look, I know you think you gave him that money, but the truth is, he made you. It was a bank robbery, even if no one pulled a weapon or took hostages."

There's something off with her smile. It's not quite friendly but not passive-aggressive either. It takes Theo a moment to recognize the sentiment as _pity_. 

"I know about your unfortunate history with Mr. Bennett, sir, but I can assure you, Mr. Bennett did not employ the use of his powers to steal this money. He merely made a withdrawal from his own account. He signed all the correct forms. I have them right here on my desk and I'd be perfectly willing to hand them over, provided you have a warrant." 

She looks at him with the faux expectancy of someone who knows perfectly well that he does not in fact have a warrant.

"That's not true," Theo argues. "He can't have that much—" 

Except of course he can. He's been stealing and extorting and doing shady business for almost a decade now, longer maybe, because someone with Wire-Puller's powers can fly under the radar pretty easily if he doesn't get too greedy.

He grinds his teeth and tries not to let the sympathetic expression on the teller's face get to him. Jesus, when did he turn from 'Capital City's favorite hero who can do no wrong' to 'the poor schmuck who had to get his ass saved by a villain and now harbors an unreasonable grudge against him'? 

Turning on his heel, he leaves the money behind and walks out.

Bennett is waiting for him, leaning against his car with the relaxed air of a man without a care in the world. The grin he sends Theo's way is smug. "Back so soon?"

"Shut up. Just— Shut up." 

Theo really has no interest in trading banter; it's bad enough that he has no choice but to let Wire-Puller go. He leans down and fiddles with the handcuffs. He has half a mind to just rip them apart, but then Bennett would probably sue him for damaging that ridiculously showy rich-guy car of his. 

He grips Bennett's wrist a little too tightly when he unlocks the cuffs. Under his fingers, the pulse is steady and calm, and the warmth of Bennett's skin seeps through the gloves of Theo's costume.

"Are you mad at me for _not_ robbing a bank?" Bennett asks when Theo has freed him. The amusement in his tone only serves to annoy Theo more. 

"It doesn't matter if you robbed the bank or not, it's still stolen money."

"Sure." It's baffling how Bennett doesn't seem to be the least bit ashamed or even hesitant at admitting it. "I was pardoned, remember? Meaning I get to keep everything I own, no matter how I came into its possession."

"That's—"

"Perfectly legal," he cuts Theo off dismissively. 

He rubs the sore skin that the cuff and Theo's rough grip left behind, a gesture that could be either pointed or unconscious; either way, it draws Theo's attention to the way Bennett's fingers curl around his wrist. It's entirely too distracting a sight.

"Just go."

Bennett raises an eyebrow at the weary request, but fortunately refrains from talking back. With a lopsided smile and a brief salute, he walks off, back towards the bank – presumably to fetch his ill-gotten money again. 

Theo watches him until he disappears inside. He has no intention of still hanging around when Bennett returns, so he quickly turns back into the alley to change. 

A cat's sitting on the trashcan, the sad remains of his coffee running down the dirty metal, the paper cup nowhere to be seen. The cat growls at Theo and shows its teeth as he approaches. His shirt and suit in the backpack are hopelessly wrinkled, and when he gets back to work, his boss reprimands him for running late and missing half of the afternoon meeting while Kyle glares at him from across the table. 

It's amazing. Apparently, Bennett doesn't even have to use his powers to thoroughly ruin Theo's day.

#

The rest of the week turns out to be blissfully Desmond-Bennett-free.

Theo goes to work, he goes on patrol, he stops a few crimes here and there. He has dinner with Joanne twice where he makes appropriately encouraging sounds when she talks about her upcoming date with Felicia and tries not to be judgmental about how the date was orchestrated. He avoids watching the news or looking at the headlines of the papers, and he quickly tunes out any chatter of his gossipy colleagues and random strangers on the subway when they talk about 'that dashing young man who saved the mayor'.

"That guy's got you really riled up, doesn't he?" Joanne asks, watching him from behind her cat-eye sunglasses. "I know you and he used to fight, like... a lot, but I didn't think it was that personal."

"It's not," Theo answers, maybe a bit too hastily. _Has_ it been personal? Is that why he can't accept that Bennett's supposedly a good guy now? He frowns. "I just— I don't think he's going to use his powers for good now. People don't change."

The phrase sounds so glib and hollow that it makes Theo wince, and of course Joanne calls him on it instantly. "They kinda do. People change all the time. If you didn't believe that, you wouldn't be doing what you do. You'd say 'the hell with humankind' and move to a remote island." 

He has to smile at the mental image. Sometimes, it seems like a tempting idea, getting away from it all, relaxing on a tropical beach and sipping cocktails with a handsome guy next to him, who might look vaguely like Bennett but doesn't share his criminal tendencies and appalling lack of morals. But Theo has no illusions that he'd be able to sit back idly and do nothing instead of using his powers for good. That's just not who his is. 

"Okay, fine, people change," he concedes. "But Desmond Bennett doesn't change."

Joanne hums thoughtfully and takes a sip from her Starbucks cup. "I don't know. He could have let you die, couldn't he?"

"What?"

"If it was all about publicity, getting himself pardoned and all, he could easily have stopped at saving the mayor and those school kids or whatever they were and let that Rampage guy go ahead and kill you. People still would have called him a hero."

Theo has to admit that he never thought about that. He'd never really considered his own role in the town hall incident beyond his guilt over failing to stop Rampage and protect everyone that day like he should have done. 

"Maybe he wanted me to know that he's better than me. He can't rub that in when I'm dead, right?"

"Right." Joanne doesn't sound convinced. He's not, either, if he's being honest, but it's the best explanation he can come up with.

#

Holding on to the champagne glass in his hand like a crutch, Theo straightens his tie and tries not to look as uncomfortable as he feels among Capital City's high society.

He can identify most of the people attending tonight, either from having seen their faces on the news or in the gossip magazines Joanne claims not to read but which mysteriously keep turning up on their coffee table anyway, or from his nightly outings as Bulletproof. Wendell Harris over there got himself kidnapped by Firebrand a few months ago and needed saving, and Bulletproof dealt with the Conrads when their mansion was robbed by Rampage and his gang last December. On the other side of the room, the mayor is chatting with someone who bears a striking resemblance to Johnny Malone, son of Capital City's resident mob boss.

Of course, Theo Murray doesn't technically know any of that, because Theo is a graphic designer with no notable connections to superheroes or law enforcement, whose presence here tonight is at best circumstantial and at worst an unfortunate accident, depending on who you ask. Theo himself is inclined to agree with the latter assessment. He'd rather be anywhere else than in this room, and his plan is to stick around for just long enough to be considered polite, talk as little as possible and then make an early exit.

It's a solid plan – but like most of his plans, both in and out of costume, it doesn't work out as well as he hoped.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're stalking me," a too-familiar voice says behind him, and Theo freezes.

Because, _of course_ Bennett is here. The mayor probably personally invited him. 

Theo tries very hard not to clench his fist and break the fragile stem of his glass. He feels out of place enough as it is; he doesn't need to draw extra attention to himself. Forcing a smile that probably looks more like a grimace, he turns towards Bennett.

"Someone has to keep an eye on you," he quips, not at all joking, but Bennett chuckles anyway. 

He looks... good. He always looks immaculate and handsome, Jo wasn't wrong about that, but tonight Bennett looks _relaxed_. His shoulders are loose, and the smile on his lips is teasing and easy-going. Theo can't remember seeing him at ease like this before. When they fought, there always used to be a kind of tension that seemed to brim underneath his skin, like a string pulled tight and ready to tear. That strain is noticeably lacking now. He's probably reveling in being able to walk around in public without having to worry about getting arrested, Theo supposes. Not that Wire-Puller ever stayed in prison for long; his powers made sure of it. You'd think the government would find a way to suppress them, or at least employ guards who were immune to them, but no, apparently that wasn't a priority.

"Of course," Bennett says, his mouth curling as he looks past Theo and surveys the room. "It wouldn't do if I did something dastardly, like compel Capital's rich and famous to make vapid small talk and get drunk on champagne and fight over those canapés as if they'll be starving for a week after tonight."

Despite himself, Theo finds himself snorting in amusement. He tries to cover it up with a scowl, because dammit, he doesn't want to find Bennett's jokes endearing. 

Bennett's eyes are back on him, as blue and piercing as ever. "What are you doing here, anyway? It doesn't exactly seem like your kind of scene."

Theo shrugs. "The company I work for did the logo for the mayor's reelection campaign. Apparently, that's worth a standing invitation to these events." 

What he doesn't say is that someone from Westbrooke & Bourne is _expected_ to attend, and this time he – quite literally – drew the short straw. Bennett is right – this is as far from 'his scene' as it gets.

But maybe Bennett's powers do include being able to read minds in addition to controlling them, because his grin turns knowing and he says, "I'm sure you were delighted when they sent you."

"Obviously. It's such an honor," Theo quips back, words dripping with sarcasm, and for a moment they share a wry smile. 

"You here alone?" 

What kind of a question is that? Theo narrows his eyes. "Why?"

"Vapid small talk, remember? Gotta fit right in, or people might become suspicious." Something must have passed over Theo's face, because Bennett immediately shakes his head and holds up a hand like he's trying to forestall an outburst. "And no, that's not a threat. Your secret's quite safe with me, I assure you."

"Yeah, sure." Theo snorts. He doesn't trust that promise, but there's very little he can do about it if Bennett chooses to reveal his identity to the world. He wouldn't be the first superhero to get publicly unmasked and have to deal with the devastating consequences. "Anyway, no, I'm not alone. Joanne's my plus one. She's... out there somewhere." He looks around but can't find her in the crowd. He wouldn't be surprised if she's off fraternizing with a certain TV presenter.

When Theo turns back around, Bennett looks like he's about to say something, but they're interrupted before he has the chance. Mayor Johnson steps towards them with a broad smile. 

"Desmond, my friend, I'm so glad you made it." 

He reaches over to clasp Bennett's shoulder, his massive paw-like hand wrinkling the dark blue suit. It's fascinating to watch Bennett's reaction, see him turn on that well-practiced camera-ready 200-volt-smile even as his eyes become cold and hard at the same time. 

Theo wouldn't have thought that there was _warmth_ in the way Bennett looked at him, but there must have been, because the sudden absence of it is glaringly obvious. It's an odd thing to realize, and Theo doesn't quite know what to do with it, unsure how he feels about his nemesis so clearly preferring his company over that of the man who got him pardoned. 

"And who's your charming young friend?" 

Johnson turns to Theo, but he's still talking to Bennett, like Theo's some kind of voiceless arm candy to be discussed. He's about to inform the mayor that one, he can talk for himself and two, he's absolutely not Bennett's friend. 

Before he can get a word in, though, Bennett takes a step towards him, dislodging Johnson's grip. His arm curves around Theo's neck in a gesture that's both casual and startlingly possessive. 

Theo stills, startled, and whatever cutting remark he meant to make dies on his tongue.

"That's Theo. We go... way back." The amused lilt of Bennett's voice implies that there's more to the story, and Theo is absurdly grateful that he doesn't seem to be inclined to elaborate. "He worked on your election campaign."

"Ah, yes." Johnson nods, somber and self-important, like he has the faintest idea who Theo is and just temporarily forgot. "You're a lucky man. Your partner is a hero. We all owe a debt to him."

And that's — Damn. Theo doesn't even know where to _start_.

"He's —" _Not my partner. Certainly not a hero._ How the hell is he going to get out of this situation? It figures that Johnson would misinterpret Bennett's comment on their shared history; he just didn't think he would misinterpret it in that particular way.

Bennett comes to his rescue, overriding his protest. 

"I'm the lucky one," he says, all too sincerely.

Theo's head snaps around to glare at him, meeting amused blue eyes crinkling in silent laughter. 

_I'm going to murder you,_ Theo tries very hard to think at Bennett with his non-existent telepathic powers. Bennett holds his gaze, unwavering, his arm still a solid weight on Theo's shoulders, the warmth of Bennett's body pressed against his side making Theo feel overheated and dizzy. 

Johnson pointedly clears his throat, interrupting the moment. 

"That's so kind of you, Desmond. Do you mind if—" He frowns. "Oh, I have to go. I have to talk to... um... Harris. Yes, I gotta talk to Harris. If you’ll excuse me, boys? Enjoy the party."

He claps Bennett on the shoulder again and hurries off.

Theo waits until the mayor has disappeared into the crowd before he shakes off Bennett's arm. "That was you, wasn't it? You made him leave."

Bennett's eyebrow goes up. "Do you want me to tell him to come back? I could, if you'd like some more of that delightful conversation."

Tiredly rubbing his forehead, Theo tries to muster up the proper righteous anger over Bennett casually compelling someone like that, but it's hard when he feels mostly relief over being rid of Johnson. A victimless crime, for all intents and purposes. This time. It's such a slippery fucking slope. 

"That's not funny. You can't just— make people do things." He shakes his head and chugs down the rest of his champagne. "Look, Bennett, I don't know what you're playing it, what kind of thing you're planning—"

"I'm not."

"What?"

Bennett shrugs. "There's no plan. I know you think I'm this scheming villain who's always five steps ahead and that I deliberately engineered all this for some kind of evil purpose. But that's not who I am. I don't plan ahead. Never did."

Theo thinks back to all the times he stopped one of the incidents Wire-Puller caused – and all the times he failed to stop him. Some of those schemes were so elaborate that it's hard to imagine that Bennett just played them by ear.

"So, what? You see something you want, and you use your powers to get it?" Theo asks, incredulous. "Just like that?"

"Mostly. If I'm lucky. Doesn't always work out that way." There's something wry and vaguely self-depreciative in Bennett's smile, like some private joke at his own expense.

Giving Bennett a hard look, Theo waits for him to elaborate, but he seems to have nothing further to say.

"Whatever, man." He hands his glass to Bennett, who takes it with a slightly bemused expression. 

Theo's absolutely, 100% done with this party. He spoke to the mayor, which easily should be enough to meet the standards of required socializing he's supposed to do tonight, so he figures he can get away with ducking out early. "If you see Joanne, tell her I went home. And kindly hold off any spontaneous evil endeavors until tomorrow. I'm done with suiting up tonight."

The corners of Bennett's mouth twitch. "I like this one better, for what it's worth."

Theo rolls his eyes. "Of course you would."

Between a superhero hell-bent on arresting him and a socially awkward, slightly tipsy graphic designer, the choice should be a no-brainer, when you're a villain.

There's that small wry smile from before again, the one Theo can't quite read. "Goodnight, Theo."

Given their history, the cordiality feels odd and foreign. Theo offers an awkward, aborted wave as he turns to go.

#

When Theo doesn't hear about any noteworthy, potentially compulsion-induced incidents at the party the next morning, he figures Bennett behaved himself. Joanne doesn't make it home until noon, looking sleepy and uncharacteristically disheveled but pleased as a cat that got the cream.

"I don't even want to know," Theo says.

Joanne ruffles his hair, messing up his blond curls even more hopelessly than the perfunctory shower last night had done. She pours herself a cup of coffee and flops down on the chair next to him. 

"So," she starts, and her tone is enough to make warning bells ring in Theo's head. "I heard about Desmond Bennett's _boyfriend_ who had to leave early."

Theo groans. "It was just a stupid misunderstanding."

"Uh-huh."

"Jo. I'm not having an affair with fucking _Wire-Puller_. We're enemies, for God's sake!" It's bad enough that the mayor apparently thinks they're together. Joanne, at least, should know better.

Instead of assuring him that no, of course she doesn't really believe that he's sleeping with his nemesis, Joanne rummages around in her handbag until she finds her iPhone. She unlocks it and pokes the touchscreen a few times before sliding it over to Theo.

On the screen is a photo she must have taken last night. It shows Bennett and him talking with the mayor. Shot from behind, it gives a clear view of Bennett's arm around him, and Theo's body angled towards the other man's. 

"Enemies, huh?"

On the picture, Theo's hand has snuck around Bennett's waist. He can't remember doing that. He doesn't remember Bennett's suit pants being quite so well-fitted either. But that's neither here nor there. Bennett's still Wire-Puller and Theo's Bulletproof, and that's all they're ever going to be.

"It's... not what it looks like." 

"Okay. Then what _is_ it?"

And that — that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?

#

For a man with his colorful past, Bennett's loft in one of the high-rise buildings west of the river is astonishingly easy to track down. It's baffling how little care he's been taking to protect his identity, even back when Wire-Puller still kept the city on its toes, as if he was untouchable.

Still, he seems surprised to find Theo on his doorstep.

"Making house calls now? Is that in the standard keep-an-eye-on-your-nemesis package, or is it an extra?"

"Special service, just for you," Theo jokes half-heartedly. 

"I'm flattered." Stepping aside, Bennett holds the door open to let Theo in. 

He curiously measures the place as Bennett ushers him through the corridor into the living area. The apartment looks as stylish and expensive as Theo imagined, but it's still not quite what he expected. It's oddly... cozy. Flames flicker in the fireplace and the wall lights paint the room with warm orange hues. There's a piano in the corner, the lid stacked with photos. 

Theo takes up one of the frames for a closer look. A picture of Bennett and a younger man who looks so much like him that he must be his brother, both of them leaning against motorbikes, wearing leather jackets and windswept hair and identical smiles.

He puts the photo down again, feeling a little like he's intruding, even though Bennett doesn't seem at all bothered by his snooping.

Maybe it was a mistake to come here. It's oddly jarring, to face Bennett on his own turf rather than in a public place, without the costumes and the armor and the masks, to take a glimpse behind the larger-than-life super-villain and see the man Desmond Bennett. Theo doesn't know if he was ready for that. Doesn't know if he's ready for the answers he's come for, either.

Behind him, Bennett clears his throat. "So... did you want anything, or did you just stop over to see how I live? I can give you a tour of the place, if you want."

Theo is almost tempted to take him up on the tongue-in-cheek offer, just to see how he'd react. And maybe to buy himself some time. But if he doesn't ask now, he might never ask, so he takes a deep breath and powers through.

"Why did you do it?"

A frown furrows Bennett's forehead. "Why did I do what, exactly?" 

He seems to be taken aback by the question, though Theo isn't sure if he's genuinely confused or only surprised that Theo asked. 

Theo turns away, his gaze drawn back down to the display of family photos. 

"Why save me? I— Honestly, I don't get it."

By the time Theo gathers the courage to look at Bennett again, the other man's face is an impassive mask. 

"It wasn't about you," he says, entirely too nonchalant, like they're discussing the weather or some incident that has nothing to do with either of them. "I just wanted to save the lives of all those civilians. They didn't deserve to get caught up in Rampage's stunt. You just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." 

He's so _full of shit_. It's ridiculous that he seems to think Theo will let him get away with this, much less believe him, instead of calling him on the obvious lie. 

"Bullshit. We both know you don't give a fuck about random strangers, Bennett. The week before the town hall thing, you made some poor dude walk into the airport with a bomb in his backpack just to create a distraction for a job you pulled. You certainly didn't care that he almost died, so don't fucking tell me that you suddenly woke up with a distaste for collateral damage." This time, he doesn't turn away. He watches Bennett's face closely – the way his mouth flattens and his eyes dart, discomfort briefly disrupting the facade. "So either all of this is part of an evil plan, which you keep denying, or you were there for me."

Bennett doesn't answer right away. His throat works as he swallows, and Theo's gaze flickers down, momentarily distracted by the movement of his Adam's apple, the contrast of dark beard and tanned skin, the way the unbuttoned collar of his shirt reveals a hint of clavicle.

Too caught up in his observation and the unexpected show of vulnerability, Theo jumps a little when Bennett finally speaks. 

"What if I was?" he asks, voice hard and confrontational.

Struggling for a response that will actually get him anywhere and render some answers from Bennett, Theo suddenly feels the subtle nag of _I should get out of here_ at the back of his mind. It's foreign and jarring in a way that makes him instantly recognize the thought as not his own. He shakes his head to clear his mind, and the alien sensation slowly evaporates.

It should make him furious, but all he can muster is mild annoyance at Bennett's poor attempt at deflection.

"Stop it! You know your powers don't work on me." 

Bennett shrugs. He steps closer, right into Theo's personal space, offering a smile that seems to have too many teeth. "If I keep trying, maybe one day they will."

It's such an asshole line, like he's trying to push Theo into a fight. Theo's pretty sure that's exactly Bennett's intention, hoping that if he can just make Theo angry enough, he won't keep pushing. Well, he's out of luck, then.

Theo grinds his teeth and pins the other man with a firm stare. 

"Bennett. Desmond. Tell me why."

For a long moment, all Bennett does is look at him – a strange kind of stand-off. He doesn't bother trying to use his powers again, but the determination in his eyes makes Theo suspect he's hoping that he can make Theo give up by sheer force of will. His eyes are very, very blue, and Theo holds their gaze, unwavering.

Finally, Bennett ducks his head and huffs out a humorless chuckle. "You're— the most stubborn, oblivious—"

He doesn't bother to finish telling Theo what exactly he thinks about him, cutting himself off when he slams their mouths together, furious and frustrated and without finesse. 

Theo's mind blanks, and it takes him a second or two before he realizes that Bennett's kissing him. His body reacts before his brain reboots, and the next thing he knows, his hand has curved around the back of Bennett's neck and he's returning the kiss just as fiercely.

He pushes Bennett backwards until he slams up against the wall a little too hard, forgetting his own strength for a moment. "Sorry."

This time, Bennett's grin is genuine. "I'm not complaining," he says, his lips kiss-bruised and his pupils blown wide. 

The surge of want clenching in Theo's gut, violent like a punch, takes him by surprise. He lets himself be pulled in again, Bennett's fist clenched in his shirt, his mouth trailing down Theo's neck. His beard is deliciously rough on Theo's skin and his teeth leave shallow bite-marks that Theo wishes would last longer. He bares his throat and presses closer, unable to stop a needy little sound tumbling from his lips as their bodies move against one another with an urgency he didn't know he felt.

"Shit, Bennett," he gasps, voice hoarse and broken.

"Hmm." The hum vibrates against the tender spot between Theo's neck and his shoulder. "I'm pretty sure at this point we should be on a first-name basis."

Right. 

"Desmond," Theo tries. It doesn't feel as weird as he thought it might. 

The name is met by another one of Bennett's— _Desmond's_ wide, pleased smiles. Theo could get used to those, he decides. They're nice to look at. More than nice, maybe. They make his heart do a funny little skip that's as exhilarating as it is scary.

"Took you damn long enough," Desmond says wryly, and Theo isn't entirely sure if he means the name or — or _this_. 

Maybe he's right, and Theo should have known sooner. He tries to mentally rearrange their interactions, all their fights that in hindsight were never as violent as they should have been, the barbed confrontations that always held an undercurrent of innuendo, the way Theo took everything Wire-Puller did a little too personally, how Wire-Puller kept getting under his skin like a persistent thorn he could never quite pull out. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

"I got there eventually."

And then they're kissing again. It's a different kind of kiss than the ones before: Desmond's mouth is soft and pliant under Theo's, gentle in a way Theo never associated with his erstwhile nemesis. He never considered this, never _allowed_ himself to – but if he had, he would have imagined roughhousing and power play, much like their fights: Desmond fighting dirty like he did when he was in costume, not tender and yielding like this, seemingly content to let Theo set the pace.

That's his answer, Theo supposes, the one he came here for. 

It feels at once frighteningly enormous and all-too-simple.

 

_Epilogue_

Theo frowns at the morning paper and looks up to steal a glance at Desmond, who's casually rocking his chair back and forth while sipping his coffee. It's still a new thing, fragile and tentative, and Theo hasn't fully got used to Desmond being a fixture in his apartment and his life like this, relaxed and quiet, like he belongs.

It's part of why he almost doesn't say anything, why he bites his tongue and tries to ignore the obvious conclusion he drew from the article on page two. 

But then Desmond looks at him and cocks an eyebrow, a lopsided smirk on his face, as if he's daring Theo. And, well, even when it's hidden underneath unexpected affection and fondness, there's enough of the old antagonism left that Theo can't resist the challenge.

"You robbed the mayor, didn't you?"

The smirk grows and Desmond lets his chair drop forward onto all fours with a loud thud. "I didn't. Now, if you're asking whether he voluntarily signed a not inconsiderable part of his wealth over to me in gratitude —"

"Which you used your powers to make him do."

Desmond shrugs. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Who could prove that?"

Who could— Theo bites back a curse and runs a hand over his face to give himself a moment so he won't yell at Desmond. 

"Dammit, Des. Once the compulsion wears off, Johnson will come after you."

Desmond doesn't seem particularly concerned by the prospect. "And lose face by admitting to everyone that he was wrong about me?" He snorts and steals a bite from Theo's muffin. "I don't think so."

Theo closes his eyes and shakes his head in exasperation, wishing he was angrier. "You're awful."

There's not much heat in his words, but at least Desmond seems to be concerned enough to have upset him that he feels the need to justify himself. "Come on, Theo, it's not like I took from a righteous man. Johnson's a pompous ass, and he's in the pocket of the mob. You can't be naive enough to think that all that money of his is clean."

"That doesn't make this right," Theo argues, but he doesn't sound half as forbidding as the hero of Capital City should when faced with a man who's just admitted to a felony. Being with Desmond is kind of messing with his moral compass.

Joanne swoops in before Theo can decide whether he wants to forgive Desmond right away or pretend to be mad for another day or so. 

"Morning, boys," she announces cheerfully, grabbing a banana from the fruit basket on the counter. "I'm running late to meet Felicia. I'm staying at her place tonight, so you got the apartment to yourselves. Try to keep it reasonably tidy, will you?"

Then she's off with a spring in her step and a playful little wave.

"I can't believe they're still dating," Desmond mutters, like this isn't entirely his fault. "Your roommate has a terrible taste in romantic partners."

Theo doesn't disagree. Felicia is a bit... much. But she gets all fluttery and excited around Joanne, and Jo adores her. As long as Jo is happy, Theo will be happy for her. 

"Yeah, she does." He smiles wryly. "It's something we have in common."

He leans in to steal a kiss, forestalling any protest Desmond would have made.

End.


End file.
